[van-discuss] A revolutionary New Years greeting

[FSP]

A revolutionary New Years greeting
from the Freedom Socialist Party

We dedicate this New Years greeting to the millions who marched against
the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq; to the intransigent strikers
at Southern California grocery stores; to the laborers in China and Colombia,
Guatemala and El Salvador struggling to build unions; to Palestinians and
Iraqis resisting colonial occupations; to "enemy combatants" and political
prisoners illegally incarcerated at Guantanamo and throughout the U.S.;
to immigrants seeking new homes and respect in strange lands; to opponents
of the Patriot Act; and to the millions of women and children who work in the
"informal economy" worldwide, eking out sustenance from a cruel and outdated
economic system.

These are among the reasons the Freedom Socialist Party resolves to
keep on fighting in 2004.

It seems to us that the only way to be truly happy, in a world such as ours,
is to join the fight for liberty--liberty from poverty, ignorance, war, 
discrimination,
official lies and the rule of profit margins.

Today the streets and waterways of the U.S. are being patrolled by men with
machine guns; rooftop snipers and military helicopters keep a sharp eye out
for potential terrorists; cars and travelers are randomly searched at 
airports.
All the trappings of a police state are in place.

But there is resistance as well. Lawyers from the National Lawyers Guild are
challenging the legal apparatus of repression. Demonstrators are suing police
who violate their rights. Strikers refuse to be intimidated by SWAT teams.
Citizens are defending immigrants against FBI and INS raids. Feminists 
stand up
to rightwing fetus fetishists. Fewer and fewer believe the lies of the Bush 
administration.

Slowly, anger and anguish are forging a worldwide bond among those who see the
need for fundamental social change. On the internet and at world and regional
Social Forums, those who oppose neoliberalism and "free trade" are gathering
strength. U.S. workers are learning that "their" government, which has 
repressed
freedom wherever it does not serve a corporate end, has also aimed its laws 
and
guns on them.

"What is next?" is the question facing workers everywhere, but especially here
in the U.S. How can the movement go from outrage to organizations that can
lead the struggle for lasting change? How can we defeat a revived imperialism
abroad and a rapacious capitalism at home?  Massive disgust with what is
cries out for a viable left alternative. What a shame that in this coming
"Year of the Presidential Elections," the U.S. Left has not even attempted
to create a united left electoral slate!

However, it is not too late! In 2004, let us continue to march for workers' 
rights
and against war and attacks on legal abortion. But let's build something 
lasting
too: socialist electoral coalitions on the model of those in Australia, 
France and
the United Kingdom. Now that's a revolutionary idea!

Happy New Year to all! And if you see a good fight going on somewhere be 
sure and get into it!


To subscribe to the Freedom Socialist newspaper or respond to this
message, go to www.socialism.com, or write to fspnatl at igc.org.
We'd love to hear from you!


Freedom Socialist Party

Australian Section              U.S. Section
580 Sydney Road         4710 University Way NE, #100
Brunswick, VIC 3055             Seattle, WA 98105
Australia                       USA

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